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Electrical Engineers need advice?


Guest DaisyC

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Guest DaisyC

Hey everyone,

 

My boyfriend and I have decided to make the move to Brisbane. He is an electrical project manager and I am an electrical design engineer and were both previously electricians. I was hoping that someone would be able to point me in the right direction as to which courses and training we would need to complete before our move to bring us u to speed on Australian Electrical and Engineering Regulations. Is this something that an agent would be able to help us with as we are going to a seminar in a couple of weeks time.

 

Thanks, Daisy xx

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Daisy,

 

Not sure if you have posted in the wrong forum.

 

Are you after electrician trade information or engineering skills assessment information?

 

As I understand It in Oz sparkys and electrical engineers are considered different, both for immigration and work. I take off in august for Bris and have had a skills assessment for IEAust as an electrical engineer.

 

Let me know if I can help at all.

 

Doc.

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Guest DaisyC

Hi, thanks for replying. It's engineering skills assessment training were looking for. The move to oz is a decision we have only recently made and were just trying to do as much research as we can to maximise our chances of getting work.

 

As I mentioned previously we are both electrical engineers and will be looking for work as engineers. I just wanted to know if there was any gap training or courses anyone could recommend to bring us up to speed on the Aus reg's and standards?

 

Thanks and I hope your move all goes smoothly, Daisy xx

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Hi Daisy,

 

If you are going as engineers the process is quite simple, as far as skills assessments go.

 

You need to go to the Institute of Engineers Australia and get a skills assessment as professional engineers. They will want certified copies of your degree certificates (that need to be accredited to the Washington accord), passport page, verified CV and proof that you are presently employed as engineers.

 

The Australian regs seem similar to ours. As for useful bits and bobs, in Vic and Qld you need to be registered as practitioning engineers (again can be done via IEAust).

 

There are a couple of threads on here where this is discussed a bit more:

- http://www.pomsinoz.com/forum/jobs-careers/106377-engineers-beware-qld.html[/url]

 

- http://www.pomsinoz.com/forum/jobs-careers/102913-engineers-australia.html

 

Hope this helps, let me know if I can do anything else.

 

John

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Guest Gordon Cullen

Doc,

 

I am a fully trained electrical project engineer but have now been working as a Project Manager for over 3 years and looking to remain in that position when I move to Oz, will I still be required to complete a skills assessment as an engineer?

 

Also, I don't have a degree, will this have an impact?

 

G

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Guest DaisyC

Thanks again for a quick reply, unfortunately I don't have a degree so i don't think that the IEAust would give me a skills assessment?

 

I was an electrician for 4 years before becoming an electrical engineer. I've got a HNC in electrical engineering and im EngTech accredited by the IET. I think i need to know how i would get this recognised by an Australian employer? Sorry for asking loads of questions, i'm new to this whole process.

 

Thanks, Daisy xx

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If you don't have an accord accredited degree or no degree as far as I'm aware you can still apply for a skills assessment from engineers Australia but you will need to go down the competency demonstration route which is a harder application to prepare and takes longer to get a result. Have a look on the engineers Australia website, there is a booklet to download which explains both routes in good detail.

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Daisy, I think you should speak to IEAust. from the sounds of it they will classify you as an engineering technician. I do not know what this means in the work place. You could contact Count Zero as he is already in country and may be able to offer some in sight.

 

Steve,

 

I had a quick look at the IEAust migrants skills assessment booklet for Diasy.

 

I think Daisy and her other half will need to contact IEAust direct.

 

From what I can see the competancy demonstration route is for engineers with a degree that is not certified (in the case of the UK by an institute itself accredited to the Engineering Council). It does not remove the need for an engineering degree or demonstration of the required learning at that level.

 

I am a mentor with the IET in the UK I have recently had to help two foreign graduate engineers, a Spanish and an Indian guy to prove to the IET that their degrees are of the required standard, as the degrees were not IET acredited. The Spanish chap had a Washington accord degree so it was quite simple for him, however the guy from India had to jump through quite a few hoops.

 

As far as I know to gain a skills assessment as a professional electrical engineer from IEAust a washington accord degree or equivalent will be required.

 

The rights and wrongs of this system can be debated, as can speculating on whether this will change in the future, however that is how it appears to be at the moment.

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Gordon,

 

I am afraid I do not know about the acredition of Project Managers. IEAust do skills assessments for Engineering Managers, check the information on this page to see if it is what you do:

 

http://www.engineersaustralia.org.au/about-us/role-activities/msa/msa_home.cfm

 

What I cannot find on the site is what the expected educational level would be. As the assessments cost a couple of hundred pounds I think it may be worth contacting IEAust to check if:

1. They are they right acredditation route for your skills

And

2. If they are if you meet those requirements.

 

Hope this helps

 

John

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Guest DaisyC

Thanks for all the advice guys but I've just had a phone call from an agent at Visa-go. Doesn't sound promising. He said that as i do not hold any degree level qualifications if i was to proceed with a visa 175 application then i would not be allowed to use the title Electrical Engineer as my nominated career and we would not be granted a visa. Gutted and don't really know which way we need to go now. Going back to college to get my HND wasn't really in my plans but i don't think i have many options? Confused.com!

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Daisy,

 

You could still go as a technician. Is there a problem with this? It is listed as an occupation in it's own right.

 

The qualification you would need to be classed an an engineer is a Washington accord MEng degree (a four year degree) or equivalent learning (BEng with a masters on top).

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  • 3 weeks later...
Guest Count Zero
Thanks again for a quick reply, unfortunately I don't have a degree so i don't think that the IEAust would give me a skills assessment?

 

I was an electrician for 4 years before becoming an electrical engineer. I've got a HNC in electrical engineering and im EngTech accredited by the IET. I think i need to know how i would get this recognised by an Australian employer? Sorry for asking loads of questions, i'm new to this whole process.

 

Thanks, Daisy xx

Australia does not have the trades to engineer transition that the UK has which is one reason why there is a shortage of good electrical engineers. You may be able to get in as a technologist if you meet the Sydney accord criteria but you should avoid Queensland as there is another hoop called RPEQ which stops most engineers from outside of Australia from being able to carry out full engineering duties.

Your best bet is to go to WA where there is plenty of work and plenty of other engineers that recognise the value of trade experienced engineers and where the RPEQ does not yet apply. They may still not call you an engineer but you might at least still be able to work in this area.

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hi DaisyC,

 

i'm in a similar situation, just finishing my HNC in elect. eng., been working as a spark for the past 18 yrs. I was just wondering, how are you getting on with your trade recognition? Is the HNC recognized in Oz, or do you think I should stick around for a few more years, finish my degree then head off? By the way, I'm looking at moving to SA, so these QLD restrictions don't worry me at least....

Thanks

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Guest DaisyC

Hey, from the research i've been doing, a HNC only qualifies as an electrical technician but working as an electrician, it's on the SOL so you could apply for your visa as a spark. If you want entry as an engineer I would definitely stick around and do your degree! Its recognised in oz and it makes the whole skills recognition so much simpler! I'm thinking of doing my degree now just to make it easier to emigrate and get work as an engineer!

 

D x

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Hi,

 

thanks for the quick reply. My situation is a bit different, as my wife is aussie, so I don't need to go through the skilled immigration process, but I want to make sure I have the right qualifications now, so I can carry on at (nearly) the same level in Oz. I worked my way up to management level, so don't really wanna go back on the tools, being supervised for 12 months by someone....

 

Good luck with your plans!!

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Guest DaisyC

No problem, you should have a look at the engineers australia website. There will be loads of info and advice on there so im sure you'll be able to find what you need. Good luck.

 

D x

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